A substantial number of U.S. Patents show various constructions for kitchen appliances suitable for beating foods or the like. A representative sampling of such patents include U.S. Pat. Nos. 1,762,081; 2,185,155; 3,280,351; and 3,72,624.
U.S. Pat. No. 1,762,081, which issued to G. Schleicher, shows a beater comprising an electric motor, a sleeve extending from the motor, a cup-shaped casing connected with this sleeve, a plate having an annular upstanding flange coacting with the casing to produce an enclosure, and a shaft extending through the casing and the plate for coupling the shaft with the driving part of the motor. A gear wheel is rigidly secured to the shaft and a plurality of pinions continually meshing with the gear wheel are provided. A stub shaft is provided for each of the pinions and is rigidly connected with the casing. An arrangement is made whereby, when the motor is rotating, the shaft will rotate in one direction, while the plate will rotate in the opposite direction. This arrangement is not a portable arrangement, since it requires connection with an electrical source through a cord, which remains attached to the beater mechanism.
D. Meeker et al disclose in U.S. Pat. No. 2,185,155 a food handling apparatus having a combination of a base, a pedestal at one end of the base, a power drive unit and an arrangement for pivotally mounting the power drive unit on the pedestal. The power drive unit includes a lower casing part and an upper casing part and these are detachably fastened together. The joint between the two parts is carefully concealed to provide an attractive appearance. This arrangement employs a gear arrangement, but the various mixing elements attached to shafts driven thereby are rotated concentrically about respectively fixed axes.
In U.S. Pat. No. 3,280,351, G. R. Wolter et al disclose a mixer involving a gear arrangement for driving mixing elements coupled to respective shafts. These shafts are driven about axes concentric with the axes of rotation of the mixer elements.
In U.S. Pat. No. 3,725,624 Robert Emmons discloses a food mixer speed control rotary switch and beater ejector unit in which a multi-speed permutation rotor for switching multiple field coil windings is journalled on a plastic frame that supports axially spaced spring switch blades bearing radially on the rotor. A beater ejection push rod is coaxially disposed therewith for the mutual support therewith in a readily assembled unit that includes a nested push botton and dial assembly recessed protectively in the forward post of the food mixer handle. Mixer elements are supported on shafts which rotate coaxially therewith. This arrangement, as well as the arrangements discussed hereinabove, do not provide the type of eccentric rotation called for in accordance with the present invention.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,465,800, which issued to M. Michaelis, shows an electrically driven kitchen implement. This implement is described as being driven by batteries by way of an unillustrated embodiment, but is mainly intended to be supplied with energy by means of a cable and plug. In any event, this arrangement does not reveal a rechargeable battery scheme according to the provisions of the present invention.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,456,276 and 3,926,180 show implements driven by manually utilizable implements wherein a portable casing employs batteries for use with the associated mechanisms. These mechanisms, however, are not related to kitchen appliances, nor do they find any utility in connection therewith.